Products
Zirconia Materials
Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Insulation
100% Phase-Stabilized Zirconia Rated to 2200°C Continuous
Zircar Zirconia Inc. specializes in advanced yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation designed for extreme thermal environments demanding continuous exposure up to 2200°C (3992°F). Our 100% phase-stabilized yttria zirconia insulation products deliver exceptional thermal performance, chemical stability, and mechanical integrity, and are fully RCF-free ceramic insulation for safer handling.
Engineered as felts, boards, textiles, and cements, this insulation excels in vacuum, corrosive, inert, and reducing atmospheres with remarkably low thermal conductivity and durability.
Zirconia Materials Featuring High-Purity Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Insulation
ZYF Zirconia Felt
ZYF is a flexible high-temperature yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation utilized as a separator, wrapper, fixture, gasket, cushion, pillow, pad, barrier, cover, layering, or packing material. Typical uses include the Czochralski crystal growing process, iridium and platinum crucible insulation, precious metal condensate reclamation, and glass fiber production—all benefiting from the thermal and chemical robustness of yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation.
Powder Loaded ZYF
ZYF insulation can be modified by filling its porous structure with inorganic powders to enhance properties for specific applications:
- ZYF-A2.13: Alumina powder-filled, dense rigid board made from yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation.
- ZYF-S.75G: Silica powder loaded for pliable yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation.
- ZYF-Z1.5G: Zirconia powder filled and dyed green to identify yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation variant.
ZYF-100A Low Sodium Zirconia Felt
For sodium-intolerant glass manufacturing, this yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation features reduced sodium content relative to the standard ZYF-100 grade.
ZYW Zirconia Woven Cloth
Flexible textiles composed of continuous yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation fibers, providing class-leading low thermal conductivity alongside excellent temperature and chemical resistance. Ideal for gasketing and flexible insulation applications in extreme environments.
ZYBF Zirconia Bulk Fiber
Available in multiple fiber lengths and porosity grades, yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation bulk fibers serve as loose fill, reinforcement additives, or vacuum-formed into rigid shapes, all maintaining stability and insulation performance up to 2200°C.
ZYFB, FBD Zirconia Boards and Cylinders
Rigid yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation boards and cylinders—ZYFB-3, ZYFB-6, and FBD—offer openly porous, nearly 100% yttria phase-stabilized zirconia. Rated continuously at 2000°C with excursions possible to 2200°C, they exhibit extremely low thermal conductivity and mechanical robustness.
ZYZ Zirconia Boards
Silica-bonded rigid yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation boards that combine fiber insulation efficiency with enhanced machinability, strength, and low thermal expansion.
ZYC Zirconia Cylinders
Free-standing yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation cylinders expertly vacuum-formed with uniform silica bonding, optimized for tight-tolerance machining, low thermal conductivity, and excellent thermal shock resistance.
DZSP Zirconia Setter Plates and Trays
High-fired, chemically inert zirconia setter plates partially stabilized with calcia, dimensionally stable to 1650°C. Perfect kiln furniture for firing electro-ceramics such as PZT piezoelectric components and barium titanate capacitors.
ZR-CEM Zirconia Cement
Single-part yttria-stabilized zirconia adhesive formulated for bonding zirconia insulation felts, boards, and cylinders, withstanding continuous use up to 2200°C.
ZR-RIG Zirconia Rigidizer
Designed for surface hardening and fabrication of zirconia composites, ZR-RIG cures into a fully stabilized yttria-stabilized zirconia ceramic body.
ZYP Zirconia Powder
Ultrafine, highly reactive yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation powder used as filtration media, thermal barrier coatings, and polishing aids. Particle sintering begins at 900°C, with densification achievable near 1450°C.
What Makes Our Zirconia Unique
The Zircar Process produces fibers that are unique due to the open and closed porosity. This is a one-of-a-kind porosity and is exclusive to Zircar. These products are the best-performing ZrO2 fibrous ceramics in the industry, outperforming all others when challenged with extreme temperatures and severe environments.
The micrographs below show the very porous nature and lengths of the individual fibers used in different product types. The micrographs also illustrate the serrated structure, which is characteristic of all of our Zircar zirconia fibers. The fibers of the rigid materials are preferentially arranged parallel to the vacuum-formed board face, creating anisotropic behavior.
Vacuum-formed ceramic fiber boards exhibit lower compressive strength and thermal conductivity perpendicular to the fiber plane, while shrinkage is greater. Boards have the fiber plane parallel to their faces, while cylinders have their fibers aligned perpendicular to the radius of the cylinder. Custom cylinders and boards can be manufactured with fiber orientation as required for your application.
The micrographs on the bottom show the highly sintered exterior and porous interior structure of the individual fibers. Note that because FBD is processed at a very high temperature, the individual fiber grains grow to be almost as large as the fiber diameter and meld into a very smooth, highly sintered microstructure.
Thermal Conductivity of Zircar Zirconia Fibers
At very high temperatures in vacuum and inert or reducing atmospheres, zirconia loses a small amount of oxygen. The reaction results in a color change from white to gray, but most other properties remain essentially unchanged, and insulation effectiveness is not impaired.
1 to 2% hafnium oxide (HfO2) occurs naturally with zirconium oxide. Zirconia has the lowest thermal conductivity of any commercial refractory and is one of the most studied ceramic materials in the world.
Upon heating, unstabilized zirconia undergoes disruptive phase changes. At room temperature, unstabilized ZrO2 adopts a monoclinic crystal structure and transitions to tetragonal and cubic at higher temperatures. The volume expansion caused by the cubic to tetragonal to monoclinic transformation induces large stresses, which cause cracking on cooling. The addition of yttria eliminates the phase transitions by stabilizing the tetragonal and cubic phases. Zircar ZrO2 is phase stabilized with 10 wt%Y2O3.
Key Technical Features and Benefits of Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Insulation
- Continuous Operating Temperature: Rated for reliable performance up to 2200°C (3992°F).
- Material Purity: Approximately 90% zirconium dioxide stabilized with ~10% yttria (Y₂O₃), preventing damaging monoclinic phase changes during heating/cooling cycles.
- Outstanding Thermal Conductivity: Among the lowest conductivities of commercial refractory materials, optimizing energy efficiency.
- RCF-Free Ceramic Insulation: Completely free of refractory ceramic fibers for safer handling and compliant workplace standards.
- Environmental Resistance: Stable in vacuum and across inert, oxidizing, and reducing atmospheres, including aggressive chemical exposure to molten metals and alkali vapors.
- Mechanical Integrity: High strength and thermal shock resistance due to carefully controlled porosity and fiber orientation in vacuum-formed boards and cylinders.
- Customizability: Numerous grades and densities available for application-specific thermal and mechanical requirements.
- Exclusive Microstructure: Unique open and closed fiber porosity exclusive to Zircar Zirconia Inc. improves insulation durability and performance.
- Health and Safety Compliance: Free from hazardous refractory ceramic fibers, mitigating respiratory and carcinogenic risks to personnel.
Industry Applications of Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Insulation
- Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC): Reliable battery separators and high-temp gasket materials engineered from yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation.
- Crystal Growth and Semiconductor Manufacturing: High-performance induction heating insulation designed for yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation fibers and felts.
- Aerospace and Defense: Thermal protection shields demanding the extreme temperature capabilities of yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation.
- Powder Metallurgy: Non-wetting setter plates providing dimensional stability during metal sintering operations.
Technical FAQ on Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Insulation
What temperature can the yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation withstand?
Zircar Zirconia Inc.’s yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation has a continuous temperature rating of 2200°C (3992°F). Its 100% phase-stabilized yttria zirconia composition prevents phase transformations, maintaining structural integrity beyond conventional alumina fibers.
How does yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation compare to alumina ceramic fiber insulation?
Alumina ceramic fibers typically operate near 1600°C–1700°C, while yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation safely performs up to 2200°C. Additionally, yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation exhibits superior chemical resistance to molten metals, alkali vapors, and quartz/silica corrosion, while being entirely RCF-free ceramic insulation, ensuring safer handling.
Choose Zircar Zirconia Inc.’s yttria-stabilized zirconia insulation for superior reliability, extreme temperature capability, and industry-leading safety—delivering unparalleled performance for your high-temperature insulation needs.
Quality Policy
Zircar Zirconia, Inc. is committed to delivering goods and services that meet or exceed customer expectations, on time, to generate a profit. We comply with regulatory, statutory, and ISO 9001:2015 requirements. We promote a safe and positive working environment for our employees.
If you are interested in any of our products and would like more information, please contact us.